Watching
by lauraiscumberbatched
Summary: After watching a horror film, Dan is convinced that he and Phil are being watched. What happens when Phil discovers just who is stalking them...? Phan, contains mild slash.


**This was written for my English coursework and will be sent to the Scottish Qualifications Authority at some point XD The task was to write a short story with the theme of surveillance. Contains slash. Enjoy and please review!  
**

"Is this one ok?"  
"'The Watched?' Sounds a little bit creepy Phil."  
"Please Dan? You will love it, I've seen this film so many times!"  
"Oh, go on then!"

Daniel Howell curled up on the couch whilst his more-than-a-friend Phillip Lester put the horror movie on and turned out the lights. Phil sat down beside him and put his arm around Dan's shoulder.  
"Are you okay Dan?"  
Dan made an almost inaudible whimper.  
"It's not scary, honestly!" Phil tried to reassure him.  
Dan said nothing, choosing instead to watch in silence as the title screen appeared.

Dan was right to be scared; the film was truly sinister. It was about a group of highly trained assassins who had taken over a government building. Not any government building, oh no. It was the one that housed pictures from every CCTV camera in Britain. They were using this footage and making a game out of it; choosing random targets somewhere in the UK before travelling to find them and ultimately, kill them. It was a low-budget, poorly made film so the death scenes were almost comical but the idea of it all struck pure terror into Dan's heart.

"That wasn't too bad then, was it Dan?" Phil smiled.  
He was greeted with silence.  
"Dan?" He frowned, a little uncertainly.  
"Scary…" was the muffled reply from Phil's back.

Phil realised that Dan had his arms around him and was hiding his face in his back. He had been so engrossed in the film that he hadn't even noticed. He gently unwound Dan's arms and moved across the room to turn on the light. When he walked back over to the couch, he realised that Dan was crying.

"It's only a film Dan, don't cry," Phil whispered soothingly as he pulled Dan into a hug.  
"I don't want to go outside Phil… The idea that they could be watching you from anywhere… There are loads of CCTV cameras from here to my apartment, Phil what if they choose me?!" Dan cried, getting more hysterical with each word.  
"It's not real, it's all just a story Dan, please calm down."  
Phil's efforts to calm Dan were not going well.  
"I post so many videos on YouTube, they know so much about me and they will know exactly where to find me! I'm so stupid, why did I ever start posting them- PHIL THERE IS A CAMERA ON THAT CABINET!" Dan almost screamed.  
Phil glanced briefly at the cabinet in question, knowing fully well that there was never a camera there.  
"Dan, you are just seeing things because you are paranoid and upset! Do you want me to walk you home?"  
"Yes please," Dan sniffed.

Half an hour and several promises to visit Dan later, Phil returned to his flat and found that the door was unlocked. He was immediately suspicious, as he always made sure that he locked the door in case anyone was to try and break in. Deciding that he must have forgotten about it whilst comforting Dan, he walked in – and came face to face with his parents.

"Hello Phillip."  
"To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Phil smiled.  
"We have a very important matter to discuss with you. Now sit," Phil's father commanded.  
Phil obliged, sinking slowly onto the couch. His eyes flickered between his parents' faces, trying and failing to read their expressions.  
"Let's get straight to the point, shall we?" Phil's mother broke the silence.  
"Indeed. Phillip, we had been watching you," his father began.  
"What do you mean?" Phil asked, confusion written all over his face.  
"I mean… We have been watching you."  
Phil's father produced a very small surveillance camera.  
"This has been on top of your cabinet for the last week, since we last came to see you. You didn't notice it but the other male that you spend so much time with noticed it earlier. Thankfully you were too dim to realise that he was speaking the truth."  
"You what?!" Phil screeched as he leapt to his feet.  
"We had suspicions that you were pursuing a gay relationship with Daniel Howell," his mother spat.  
"So you rigged my flat with cameras?! Have I got no privacy?!"  
"It was necessary, Phillip. We caught you red-handed. Do you deny it?"  
"No. I'm proud to be with Dan and if you can't accept that then get out! I'm not having homophobes in this flat!"  
"Very well. We won't be seeing you."  
Phil's parents got up and left, giving him a final, disgusted look as they went.

True to their word, Phil never saw his parents again.


End file.
